


The Twisted Shadows

by BlueShadow4



Category: Doctor Who, Sarah Jane Adventures
Genre: Gen, TARDIS - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-18
Updated: 2014-09-18
Packaged: 2018-02-17 21:36:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2323967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueShadow4/pseuds/BlueShadow4
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An interesting turn for events for The Doctor, as he runs into Sarah Jane Smith's gang while investigating the school. But what lurks in the shadows? And exactly what happened to the group? Please tell me what you like/don't like in reviews</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelude

** The Tricked Shadows **

** Prelude **

Earth. Present Day.

The sea of almost emotionless faces clouded the anxiety and impatience on the girl's face- a typical science class for her. Every now and then her eyes would find the digital clock on the computer screen, as if ready to pounce the moment it was 12:50. If not, they glanced at the empty seat next to her.

12:48...

1249...

DINGINGINGING!

The class immediately evacuated- slowly, at first, but once outside the classroom- and away from the teacher's sight- they sprinted along. Most ventured to the playgrounds outside, for the humid summer day had already taken its toll. But not her...

The girl walked hastily to the refectory, a small smile composing on her once-worried face at the sight of her two best friends- Rani and Clyde. They were both in their last year at the school, and were at least 4 years younger. Apart from them, only a handful of others decided to eat in the canteen. And none of them were listening.

"Now there's four people missing," she said, glaring at the duo, as if waiting for a response. "Aren't we at least a little bit interested," now taunting them slightly, while retaining the urgency in her voice.

The older girl looked up, at the brink of being fed up with the constant wining from the seat across her. "Sky," she started, "we've told you before, we would if we could, but we can't investigate. And you know why."

Sky didn't like being treated like a kid like Rani just had, but she _hated_ it when she was reminded of that fact when she didn't have to be.

_That day..._

"But we don't need the fancy alien tech-"

"Shh!" Clyde intervened. "There are other people in here who don't know 'bout us."

"Yeah, and none of them are listening." she replied, with the stereotypical teenage attitude clear in her voice. "Back to what I was saying, maybe we can just find a way into the school at night-"

"NO!" they both shouted, almost startling Sky.

"First of all, we can't without Sarah Jane," Rani stated, "and secondly, THAT is illegal!"

"Fine. I'll just ask someone else." Sky moaned.

Above them, high in his office, the new head teacher stared at his pupils, like the vulture staring at those he will soon consume. He looked to be in his late-40s with small, mean eyes and light, curled hair that formed a circular bold spot around his head. The formal suit he wore made him look slightly out-of-place, slightly uncomfortable with his surroundings.

Though not as uncomfortable as the man opposite him- his purplish tweed coat, his strikingly weird, dark brown hair, his dicky-bow tie... The headless chicken had found its way to the vulture's nest. Nevertheless, his friendly face was enough for the head teacher to accept him into the school, and his office.

In his hand was, what he could see at least, a letter from The Times explaining that the bow-tie-clad man was a reporter wanting to find out more about the school. "A reporter?" he asked. "Well, you certainly dress for the occasion, don't you? You can look around if you want, I'll organise one of the staff to show you around."

"Oh no really, you don't have to do that," he replied, "it's more fun when you don't know what's round the corner."

The head teacher was rather taken aback by the sudden giddy, childish response from this grown man. "Well, if you need anything, let one of the staff know, and tell them that Mr Phillips said they have to help you. Sorry, I didn't even catch your name."

"It's Smith. John Smith."


	2. Chapter 1

** Chapter 1 **

The handshake sealed the deal. _Good work, Doctor_ he thought. _You're in. Now I just need to find who exactly sent me that message, and what it is I'm dealing with. Last time I infiltrated a school, things didn't go well, so let's hope that things aren't so bad here._

As he walked to the exit briskly, he wondered whether he should involve Clara in the investigation, before remembering her new job at a school- a different one than this school, Thank Goodness he thought. Once the door shut behind him, he stuck his right hand into his left jacket pocket, rummaging for his sonic screwdriver and psychic paper.

_The one downside to bigger-on-the-inside pockets- you'll never find anything._

Walking along bare corridors, he pulled out each item respectfully. Opening the psychic paper, he examined the message one last chance:

**Someone Please Help.**

**People are going missing.**

**4 in 2 weeks**

The clogs in his head desperately turned in hope of deciphering some hidden clue in the message- something he could use. Nothing. _Plan B._ The Doctor pointed the sonic directly at the message, the whirring noise of it masked by the children outside. Suddenly, the noise changed to something similar to a radar, releasing a slow, rhythmic beam of light and low whir. _Let's find you, then. Whoever you are._ Avoiding any prying eyes, The Doctor swiftly walked in the shadowy corridor, not knowing what hid in those shadows.

As he walked, the flashing of the light intensified, as did the constant beeping, alerting him that he was getting closer and closer to the source of the message.

Elsewhere, Sky had been left to herself to wallow on her plan- _breaking in at night?! I must've been completely out of it_ she thought. However, she still could not cover her angst about the matter. This is what The Doctor saw. He'd looked up for one second to adjust his screwdriver, when he saw the look. The look he had seen across space and time, on hundreds of thousands of different faces, for 1200 years. A look of fear.

He had found what he was looking for.

5 minutes later, he pulled up opposite Sky, tray in hand full of an ordinary school diner- pasta. He knew he couldn't be his normal self right now- otherwise she wouldn't tell him anything. He had to be more reserved. The basic "Hello" he managed was exactly that, which was met with a kind- but just as reserved- "Hello".

And then he had the pasta.

"Oh, it's quite quite horrid," he rambled, spitting out bits of pasta and minced beef, his face scrunched up, "It's most probably some disgusting ingredient in it like horse meat Is there horse meat No that was last year or so Either way I'm not having anymore I'd much rather have fish. Fish Fingers. With some custard. Fish Fingers and Custard- delish!

Sky just stared at the stranger sitting opposite her, in disgust and amazement and wonder all at once. She'd seen weird things in her life- metal men, haunted pieces in museums- but this man was slowly making his way higher up her list of weird things she'd seen. Finally, letting out a small giggle in the process, she blurted out "What the hell are you doing? You're supposed to be an adult."

"By genetics, yes." he replied. "Who said anything about behaviour? I should introduce myself. My name's John Smith. What's yours?"

Slightly taken about by the similar surname, she still replied "Sky. Sky Smith. Are you a new teacher or something?"

"No, I tried that once. Didn't work out. The students couldn't keep up with me. I'm a reporter for the Times."

Sky was now bewildered. She remembers the stories of how her mother- her adopted one- used to be a reporter, and when saving the world, she used to use that as a cover.

_And he is a Smith._

_Could they have been related?_

_No. She didn't have any relatives, except for Luke- who she adopted._

_So who is he?_

And then she actually looked at him.

He was such a complex man- his smile that of a young adult enjoying life, his mindset of a young child with no parents to hone him in, and the eyes. The old, old eyes. They had seemed to have seen so much.

I'd better find out exactly what he's doing here- something's fishy 'bout this whole thing.

"So, what are you looking for here, then?"

He replied, with his once playful charm overrun by a serious voice, "The missing people. I've heard there's been a large number of them from this school, so I thought 'Why not look into it?'."

A playful grin presented itself on Sky's face now, almost as wide as The Doctor's grin. _Thank goodness someone's actually looking into this mystery! Everyone- well, Rani and Clyde- thought it was wrong to look into it. But if someone this similar to Sarah Jane is investigating..._

"I might be able to help you with that."

"Tell me everything you know."

The time was 2:03- the beginning of the last lesson of the day. The Doctor had once again claimed that he was interviewing Sky as part of his report. They had no idea of what they were really discovering.

They both sat in a huddled office on plastic chairs, The Doctor the most fidgety of them. Sky sat up, as if waiting on an order. "Why don't you tell me what you know first?", she replied, trying to remember the confidence Sarah Jane carried and mimic it.

"Why?"

"So I don't waste my breath or your time."

"And how, exactly, would you do that?"

"By stating what you already know."

The Doctor paused, giving his classic grin to her. "I got a tip-off. It said: 'Someone please help. People are missing. 4 in 2 weeks.'"

"How do you possibly know 'bout the fourth missing person? I only knew today myself."

The Doctor had to think of a clever lie. The best he could come up with was "Well don't look at me, it was the tip-off person."

"OK, here's what I know: the four missing people are all children from this school-"

 _Interesting he thought. This narrows the search considerably_.

"-and none of the teachers even notice."

_Or care. Or, like the last school, the teachers have something to hide..._

But the best thing- and I'm not entirely sure if I'm right or not, but I once thought I heard some sort of... scream. I know it seems odd- or crazy..."

"Oh Sky, it doesn't matter if the concept seems crazy to me or not- the crazier, the better in my opinion." Sky could tell that he was telling the truth. Again in his eyes. "Thank you for your help, Sky. I'll see what I can do." Almost immediately he dashed out of the room, wailing out a "GOODBYE" as he went along. But Sky wasn't finished. Yes, she helped him with the disappearances, but she never found out exactly who he was.

3:00. The end of the day. The huddle of people mass out to the sunlight, and one of the first to boom out was Sky, with Rani and Clyde close behind. "Where are you going?" Clyde belted in her general direction.

"I have something to do quickly" she replied. "Don't worry, I'll take the bus home."

"You sure you'll be alright?"

"Yeah. Now go!"

The two senior students walked away, whispering to each other to avoid wondering ears and eyes. "Something tells me she's about to do something stupid" she said.

"One of us should make sure she's alright tonight- so that she doesn't break into the school anyway" Clyde thought.

"I'll watch from across the house, and call you if I see anything. See ya."

"Yea, see ya."

Clyde looked behind worryingly one last time, but Sky was long gone. A terrible thought then came to mind- _what if she then becomes number 5?_

Elsewhere, Sky had found The Doctor- or John Smith as she knew him- at the back of the school, disappearing round a corner. _I can't let him get away! I just know there's something familiar 'bout him._

And so she ran past the bins and the cars at the back of the school and went to turn the corner when she found...

...a big blue box.


	3. Chapter 2

** Chapter 2 **

_Well, he must be in here_ , then she concluded, noting that the police telephone box blocked the entrance to the entire alleyway, resulting in her reaching out towards the old, unpolished handles. Unbeknownst as to what may be within, she slowly crept up to the door, and then... WAM!

_Oh. It's locked_.

She continued to stare at the box, up and down. What was it doing here? Whose was it? Where did John Smith go? All these questions popped in Sky's head like microwave popcorn- there one moment as a small corn piece, the next it had enlarged into a bigger question overall.

After a while, she gave up on trying to find the man. _There are 2 possible explanations for this_ she thought: _one is that he somehow got past the 3m box. But if so, surely there would be a mark on the box or on the wall. The second was much more harrowing- he had the key. What could possibly be in there? Could it be- no, it couldn't be- that HE's the one taking children? How else would he know that someone was missing today? If I could prove that he did it- I have to be here tonight to try to find out more, no matter how crazy it is._

And so, determined to prove she could solve the mystery on her own, Sky walked away from the blue box, hoping that this John Smith will be brought down.

WHOOOSH!

Sky turned around, and for a second- no, a millisecond- she thought she saw a shadowed figure- just a lump of black, staring at her. _A trick of the light_ she suspected, before turning back again. Once Sky had gone from view, a weird, extraterrestrial wheezing bellowed from the alleyway.

A couple of hours had passed. By now Sky was at home, having replaced her school clothes with pyjamas, lingering in the once-cluttered attic. The magnificent alien clutter from all corners of creation- some given to Sarah Jane for her help in securing the safety of nomadic or lost creatures, some were what were left behind from dangerous adversaries. Sky Smith longed for days like that to return.

Her brother, Luke, was downstairs cooking- he had to make sure that Sky was well looked after ever since... _That day..._ So, he moved back from America- and his girlfriend- for a while to keep the house- most importantly, Sky and Mr Smith- safe from harms way. Despite the fact that he went through the exact same emotion Sky did, for all this time, he always put Sky first. He was a natural parent- he learnt from the best.

However, this wouldn't keep away those awkward silences between them. They were both adopted from unfit parent from other planets, and had only ever really met one time beforehand. As soon as dinner- which was an omelette, for the cupboards were filled only with dust- was finished, Sky darted to her room, eager to escape the boredom and seek an adventure, oblivious to the adventure she was really about to have.

Once dressed in dark clothing, she silently opened the old window of her room, and looked back once more at her fairly small room, before jumping out the back without anyone noticing. Well, all except one...

Rani, who lived across the hall, dialled frantically on her mobile phone before placing it to her ear. "Clyde. She's left the house."

"Well what should we do?" he replied.

"Don't tell Luke- he's got enough on his plate as it is." Asshe watched Sky swiftly jump through backyards, fearing they'd never find her, she blurted out the first idea that came to mind: "Follow her!" Rani then hung up and almost threw herself to the front door into the cold, dark night.

Back at the school, Sky immediately went to check the alleyway from that afternoon. _No blue box. A pity, really. Would've been interesting if it was still here. Maybe he's moved it inside the school._ And so, having found a slight crack in the nearest window, Sky proceeded to slowly slide into the building. She found herself in the refectory, standing near where she had her peculiar encounter with John Smith that lunch. _He seemed such a nice person_ she pondered, before trailing towards the exited the canteen

_Something's not right here._

She spun round 360 degrees, staring intensively at everything, wondering what being in the universe could just frighten her by being... present in the room. And that's when she noticed it.

_All the shadows are triangles. But how? It's impossible._

"OI!" a deep voice echoed across the halls to the refectory. "What are you doing here?!"

In the second Sky took to swizzle round to face the man-who was obviously a cleaner judging by the uniform- most of the triangle-shaped shadows had travelled to the man, who was planted in one space at all times, not noticing the odd shadows.

And then he stepped forwards, turning into bones when he crossed the shadows.

ARRRGGHHHH!

The piercing screech was heard throughout the entire school- as well as outside, where Rani and Clyde were. Immediately, they spring to life, racing to the outside exit to the canteen. There caught a glimpse of Sky, and then the pile of bones next to her. Cowering to the corner of the room, tears forming in her hands, deadly shadows creeping towards her, the adventure she longed for had become her demise. Her mind was going haywire:

I'm gonna die!

I'm gonna die!

I'm gonna DIE!


End file.
